Cash register and indicator



t e e h S e e h S 2 um 0 T A NU .m E Nm um RA R GE .,T Tm .G JE R H S A HU u. d. 0 M 0 m N0. 502,885. Patented Aug. 8, 1898.

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(No Model.)

J. T. GREENE. CASH REGISTER AND INDIGATOR.

Patented Aug. 8,.1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN T. GREENE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CASH REGISTER AND INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'latent No. 502,885, dated August 8, 1893.

i Application filed November 14:, 1892. Serial No. 451,995. (No modelJ To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known thatI, JOHN T. GREENE, of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash Registers and Indicators; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like figures refer to like parts.

My invention relates to improvements in cash registers and indicators, the object being to provide a cash indicator and register that is very cheap, simple, made in few parts, and will operate successfully4 in indicating the amount of each sale, and preserving a record of the amounts of all sales.

Its chief feature consists in using ordinary tickets or checks indicating the amount of the sale, in a mechanism which will receive such I checks, hold them so as to expose them to view, and then deposit the check in a place i of security. The same maybe combined with l a cash drawer which may be unlocked or released by operating the indicating mechanism.

inserted and is held by the valve 13. Fig. 5

is the same after having been partially operated so that the lower check has been discharged, and the upper check is dropped down and is held in place by the upper arm of the valve 23. Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same on the line y-y, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is the money drawer. Fig. 8 is a modified form of the valve mechanism of the indicator. Fig. 9 is a cross section of the same at z-a Fig.

IOisa cross section of the same at o-fc, Fig. 8.

In detail, 1 is a case made of any suitable material.

2 is a cash drawer operating in the lower part of the case, and which may be made in any well known manner. 3 is a flat metal spring at the rear of such cash drawer, and bearing against the back of the case, which,

In the-drawings, Figure lis an elevation of 'y my improved cash indicator and register.

Fig. 3 is a crossy when the drawer is released, propels it forward, so that it can be readily withdrawn.

il is a springlatch on the drawer in the rear thereof, and having a lug on its end adapted to engage with a notch in the partition of the casing above the drawernear the rear thereof.

5 is a stationary frame, preferably made of metal, inclosing the indicating mechanism and frame 6. This frame 5 is preferably placed on top of the machine near the rear thereof.

6 is a vertically movable frame extending entirely through the frame 5, and having its upper end flaring. 7 is a rod connected at its top to the lower end of such movable frame 6, and passes down through the guides 8, its lower end resting on the rear end of the spring 4, and 9 is a coiled spring surrounding the lower part of such rod 7, being held in place between the two lower guides 8.

l0 is a check case embedded in the upper lid Il or covering of the machine, and is divided into various compartments for holding checks of different denominations.

l2 are bars secured to each side of the movable fraine 6.

13 are valves pivoted at I4 to the upper end of the bars I2, and provided witllt wo arm one having a slot 1G in the end thereof, whereby such arm operates loosely on a piu l5, the other arm extending downward and having a finger 17 that operates through an opening in the side of the movable frame 6. then such movabley frame 6 is pushed down, the finger I7 is'forced out of the opening.

19 are valves pivoted at 2O to the lower ends of the guide bars l2. Each of such valves has an varm extending laterally therefrom containing a slot 2l, which operates loosely on a pin. Such valve has an arm extending upward, and another downward, and withl a finger 22 on the .upper one, and another finger 23 on the lower one, such fingers adapted to move backward and forward through a hole in the movable frame 6 when such casing is vertically operated, the fingers being for the purpose of holding checks or tickets at certain places in the chutes.

24: is a partition separating the opening in the movable frame 6 into two chutes.

26 are openings cut in the face of the mov- IOO able frame 6 through which tickets or checks are visible. Corresponding with these openings 26 are openings 23 in the stationary frame 5, which openings are on both sides of such frame, and are covered by glass secured by the liange 27.

29 is a bell secured in the rear of the upper part of the machine.

30 is the arm of the bell hammer, which arm is pivoted to the rear casing of the machine, and has a small arm 31 extending so that the movable frame 6 when pressed down will engage such bell arm and ring the bell.

32 is a sheet of metal or other material attached to the rear of the upper part of the machine on the inside thereof, and curved forward at the bottom so that the checks 2S when they fall from above will be thrown forward out of the way, as seen in Fig. 2. The upper part of such sheet 32 is slotted so that the rod 7 can operate through it.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show a modilied form of the valves in the indicating mechanism. 33 are brackets attached to the stationary frame 5, and carrying the valves 13 at the upper part of the indicating mechanism. At the lower part are the brackets 34 similarly attached, and which carry the valve 19. 35 is a slotted arm rigidly attached to the valves, extending through an opening 36 in the movable frame 6, and working on the pin 37. Vhen the movable frame 6 is pushed down, the pin 37 pushes down the arms 34, which moves the lower lingers of the valves outward.

The operation of my cash indicator and register is as follows: Suitable checks or tickets, 2S, having printed or stamped on them the denominations representing various amounts, are sorted and placed in the check case 10, where they are accessible. When a sale is made, the salesman takes from this check case a check bearing the amount of the sale. This amount is preferably shown on both sides of the check. The cheek is then dropped in one or the other of the chutes in the movable frame 6. It drops in such chute until it is caught by the finger 17 of the valve 13, as shown in Fig. 4E. This movable frame 6 is pushed down, which throws back the linger 17 of the valve 13 and allows the check to drop until it is caught by the finger22 of the valve 19, as shown in Fig. 5. Vhen the movable frame 6 is pushed down, the rod 7 is also pushed downward, and by bearing on the end of the spring 4 releases the money drawer, which is pushed outward by the spring 3. The salesman having thus slightly pushed down the movable frame 6, releases it, whereupon the spring 9 at thelowerpart of the rod 7 thrusts it upward into its normal position. The upward movement of the casing then reverses the position of the arms of the valve 19, throwing the upper fingers backward, whereby the check 28, which was supported by such finger, drops until itis supported by the lower finger 23 of such valve 19. In that position, because of the openings 26 and 28 in the stationary and movable frames, the check indicating the sale is Visible on both sides. The drawer having been sprung outward and forward by the spring 3 is farther opened by the other hand of the salesman, and the money deposited and change procured, after which the drawer is pushed back into its closed position, which causes the lng of the spring 4 to lock the drawer behind the partition in the frame above such drawer. Vhen another sale is made, the same operation is repeated, and as the next check is inserted in the movable frame (5, and the operation just described gone through with, the check which has been visible will drop down into the register, as shown in Fig. 2. There all checks indicating the amount of each sale collect until the proprietor or other proper person desires to count the amount of the sales and compare the same with the money in the drawer. When desirous to do that, he unlocks the lid 11, it being supposed that only the proprietor has the key which will lock or unlock such lid. He then removes all his checks, and can then compare the amount of sales indicated by the cheeks with the amount of money contained in the drawer. If he so desires, in the morning before the beginning of business, after having placed in the money drawer the desirable amount of change, he can mark that amount on a check and drop it into the cash register, where no one can reach it, and where a record will be kept of the amount of change put in such drawer. NVhen the check is inserted, and the movable frame 6 is pushed down, the bell 29 is rung, so that no one can open the money drawer without ringing the bell 29. After a check has been deposited in the movable frame G, and the frame pushed down, the check cannot be removed by any one, because of the finger 17 of the valve 13 preventingit. When the openings through which the checks are exposed to view are covered by glass no person can altersuch checks, and if only the proprietor has a key to open the lid 11, no one can alter a single check after it has been deposited in the movable frame 6, thus making the cash indicator and register perfectly secure and safe as against any alteration any salesman might want to make. The amount on the tickets may be visible from both sides. If there is more than one salesman, each salesman may use checks of a different color, or may stamp the tickets so as to distinguish them. Likewise, if it be desired to keep an accountof the sales in different classes of merchandise sold in the same store, it may be done by using tickets or checks of different colors to represent the different classes of merchandise, or the difference may be shown by means of a stamp.

The advantages of my cash indicator and register are obvious. There are no wheels, keys or operating levers as found in most cash registers. Because of the simplicity of the parts and construction, the cost will be very small, and will furnish as perfect secur- IOO ity against fraud as any cash register heretofore known.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction of the various parts of my cash indicator and register as shown and described herein, because there are many ways apparent to any skilled mechanic of constructing the indicating mechanism so as to expose the checks or tickets to view, or drop them into a register below. The modification as shown in Figs. S, 9 and l0 might be adopted, or a lever extending to one side might be used for depressing the movable frame C, and other means might be provided for catching and holding the checks in the right place. The valves might be pivoted directly to the movable frame G and thus dispense with the bars l2. The arm 35 in Figs. 8, 9 and l0 can be of any desired shape besides the one shown, or it may be merely a rod operated by contacting with the movable frame at the upper and lower sides of the opening 3G, and thus dispense with the pin 37. The opening 18 in the movable frame 6, through which the lingers of the valve operate, may be located on any side of the movable frame 6, and the valves adjusted to operate through such opening. Any means wherebya check while passing down the chute in a movable frame 6 could be stopped or held, it is desired by me to protect in this patent. The stationary frame 5 and the movable frame 6 might be arranged so that the movable frame would be outside and surrounding the fixed frame, or the stationary frame might be entirely dispensedA with or the movable frame might be dispensed with, some other simple device being provided to guide the tickets or checks, hold them at the proper place of exposure, and discharge them. One or both sets of valves might be dispensed with if desired although the device would not be as efficient as the one shown. A weight might be substituted for the spring 9, which would probably work well, as it would not operate so suddenly as the spring. The location of the check casing l0 might be altered to suit the convenience of the proprietor. If it were desired to utilize my cash indicator and register as a desk, a locked drawer could be provided to receive the checks 28, and a partition be inserted above, and the check case be placed elsen where, so that the lid will furnish a desk, and in the interior will be found room for stationery. I do not wish to limit myself to the construction of the money drawer, as any kind of money drawer known might be used; nor do I wish to limit the number of chutes in the movable frame 6 to two, as one might be sufficient, ora larger number. lVith two chutes, fewer checks or tickets are required, as the operator can combine two tickets by depositing one in one chute and one in another, whereby the two will show the amount of one sale, if heK so desire,or has exhausted the single tickets which show such amount.

My indicating mechanism might be used independently of the registering mechanism, or vice versa, and either or both used independently of the money drawer.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is the following:

l. In a cash indicator, a vertically reciprocating frame provided with a vertical passage way into which checks may be dropped, and suitable means operated by the reciprocation of such frame and adapted to move in and out of such passage way for holding such checks in their passage and afterward discharging the same, substantially as described.

2. In a cash indicator, a stationary frame, a spring supported frame vertically movable in such stationary frame provided with a vertical passage way into which checks may be dropped, openings in the sides of both frames corresponding' with each other, and suitable valves operated by the reciprocation of such movable frame and adapted to move in and out of such passage way for holding such checks at such openings and afterward discharging the same, substantially as described.

3. In a cash indicator, a stationary frame, a frame vertically movable in such stationary frame provided with a vertical passage way into which checks may be dropped, and a valve shaped like a bent lever pivoted at the bend to the movable frame, one arm being loosely joined to the stationary frame and the other arm provided at its end with a finger adapted when the movable frame is operated to move in and out of such passage way to catch or discharge a check, substantially as described.

4. In a cash indicator, a stationary frame, a frame vertically movable in such stationary frame provided with a vertical passage way into which checks may be dropped, and two valves pivoted one above the other to such movable frame, the upper valve provided with an arm loosely joined to the stationary frame and another arm having a finger on its end adapted to move in and out of such passage way, and the other valve similarly mounted near suitable openings in such frames for displaying checks and provided with upwardly and downwardly extending arms on the end of each of which is a finger adapted to move in and out of such passage way, the valves being so constructed relatively to each other that when such movable frame is reciprocated the lower finger of the lower valve and the finger of the upper valve will extend into such passage way while the upper finger of the lower valve does not and vice versa, substantially as described.

5. In a cash indicator, the combination of a suitable casing, a spring supported vertically reciprocating frame provided with a vertical passage way adapted to receive and convey checks, valves adapted to move in and out of suoli passage way, a bell, and means of ringing such bell by the reciprocation of such frame, substantially as described.

6. In a cash register and indicator, the comn IOO bination of a suitable casing, a spring supported vertically reciprocating frame, provided with a vertical passage wayinto which checks may be dropped, valves adapted to move in and ont of such passage way to hold such checks in their passage at an opening for inspection, and afterward discharging the same, a check receptacle below such passage way into which such checks are discharged, and a bell adapted to be rung by the reciprocation of such movable frame, substantially as described.

7. In a cash register, the combination of a suitable casing, a spring supported vertically reciprocating frame provided with a vertical passage way into which checks may be dropped, valves adapted to move in and out of such passage way, a spring actuated money drawer in the lower part of such casing locked by a spring latch, and a rod extending from such movable frame adapted to release such latch and the drawer by the operation of the reciprocating frame, substantially as described.

8. In a cash register and indicator, the combination of a suitable casing, a spring supported vertically reciprocating frame provided with a vertical passage way into which checks may be dropped, valves adapted to move in and out ot' such passage way for holding such checks in their passage at an opening for inspection and afterward discharging them, a locked check receptacle into which checks are discharged, a spring actuated money drawer locked by a spring latch, and a bell, such drawer adapted to be released and such bell rung by the reciprocation of such movable frame, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this lst day of November, 1892.

JNO. T. GREENE.

W'itnesses:

CHAs. S. HAMMOND, L. TETER. 

